Four consortia submitted bids for refurbishing the Vidraru hydropower plant in Romania, one of the largest projects of this kind currently carried out by state-controlled company Hidroelectrica, Economica.net informed quoting unofficial sources.

The association of Chinese companies Sinohydro Corporation and Power China Chengdu Engineering submitted the lowest price for this project, EUR 80 million, according to the same sources. Hidroelectrica initially estimated a cost of EUR 82 million for the project.

A French-Romanian consortium formed by GE Hydro France SAS, Elecnor SA and Grid Solution Romania SRL asked for EUR 82 mln.

The other bids were significantly higher: EUR 136 mln asked by the association formed by Gulsan Insaat Sanayi Turizm Nakliyat VE Ticaret (Turkey) and Zhefu Holding Group (China), and EUR 113 mln placed by a consortium formed by Romania’s Romelectro and Slovenian Litrostroj Power.

The price will hold a 60% weight in the final evaluation of the bids, with the second major criterion being the final power that the plant will deliver after the refurbishment.

Hidroelectrica has held several selection stages for picking the contractor for this project this year. In February, Hidroelectrica general manager Bogdan Badea announced that the method of “competitive procedures involving negotiations” was preferred since electronic auction resulted in technically infeasible offers.

Vidraru is one of the most important power plants operated by state-owned electricity producer Hidroelectrica, with a capacity of 220 MW in its four groups. Hidroelectrica owns production capacities of over 6,000 MW.

(Photo: L.Kenzel /Wikipedia)

editor@romania-insider.com